Deltona nixes plan for commercial zoning

Published: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 7:48 p.m.

DELTONA — City commissioners have tried at least twice to expand commercial zoning in this heavily residential city, but their latest effort failed this week.

The plan was to change the future use of two 10-acre plots along Providence Boulevard from low-density residential to a commercial category that would have allowed office, retail and service businesses. Parts of the boulevard are already commercial, so commissioners thought with a little push, perhaps more could develop there.

But some residents and, unanimously, the Planning and Zoning Board, expressed opposition. This week, the City Commission finally declared the Providence plan dead.

"Why upset the neighborhood with something that's probably never going to happen?" Mayor John Masiarczyk said Tuesday, a day after the Monday night meeting with the planning board.

Commissioner Heidi Herzberg said Deltona needs to commit to commercializing more of its residential areas in order to achieve a more balanced tax base.

"If we choose to keep these areas residential, the property tax on residential homes is going to have to go up," she said. "The city cannot function without a commercial base. You're putting the burden on the homeowners."

But planning board members, including Chairman Tom Burbank, said amending the city's future land-use map — a governmental process that goes hand in hand with rezoning — isn't the way to accomplish those goals at the two Providence locations, one near the intersection with Elkcam Boulevard and the other near Fort Smith Boulevard.

The planning and zoning board had unanimously rejected the proposed changes in October.

"I did some simple math and determined no developer in his right mind would want to develop there," Burbank said, explaining it would likely take five or six lots to build a drugstore or strip mall. The costs associated with not only buying the land but also demolishing the homes and connecting to the city utilities would be about twice the cost to develop at an already commercially zoned area in the Howland Boulevard area, he said.

Victor Ramos and other board members stressed the need for a logical mix of commercial and residential properties.

"It's not about just growth, but smart growth," Ramos said.

In 2002, city officials attempted a similar move along Saxon Boulevard near Finland Drive. But only one business – a coin shop – moved in there.

The city will continue to look for other locations where commercial uses might make more sense, Masiarczyk said.

<p>DELTONA &mdash; City commissioners have tried at least twice to expand commercial zoning in this heavily residential city, but their latest effort failed this week. </p><p>The plan was to change the future use of two 10-acre plots along Providence Boulevard from low-density residential to a commercial category that would have allowed office, retail and service businesses. Parts of the boulevard are already commercial, so commissioners thought with a little push, perhaps more could develop there. </p><p>But some residents and, unanimously, the Planning and Zoning Board, expressed opposition. This week, the City Commission finally declared the Providence plan dead. </p><p>"Why upset the neighborhood with something that's probably never going to happen?" Mayor John Masiarczyk said Tuesday, a day after the Monday night meeting with the planning board. </p><p>Commissioner Heidi Herzberg said Deltona needs to commit to commercializing more of its residential areas in order to achieve a more balanced tax base. </p><p>"If we choose to keep these areas residential, the property tax on residential homes is going to have to go up," she said. "The city cannot function without a commercial base. You're putting the burden on the homeowners." </p><p>But planning board members, including Chairman Tom Burbank, said amending the city's future land-use map &mdash; a governmental process that goes hand in hand with rezoning &mdash; isn't the way to accomplish those goals at the two Providence locations, one near the intersection with Elkcam Boulevard and the other near Fort Smith Boulevard. </p><p>The planning and zoning board had unanimously rejected the proposed changes in October. </p><p>"I did some simple math and determined no developer in his right mind would want to develop there," Burbank said, explaining it would likely take five or six lots to build a drugstore or strip mall. The costs associated with not only buying the land but also demolishing the homes and connecting to the city utilities would be about twice the cost to develop at an already commercially zoned area in the Howland Boulevard area, he said. </p><p>Victor Ramos and other board members stressed the need for a logical mix of commercial and residential properties. </p><p>"It's not about just growth, but smart growth," Ramos said. </p><p>In 2002, city officials attempted a similar move along Saxon Boulevard near Finland Drive. But only one business – a coin shop – moved in there. </p><p>The city will continue to look for other locations where commercial uses might make more sense, Masiarczyk said.</p>